Sunthorn Phu Day in Thailand Date in the current year: June 26, 2024

Phra Sunthorn Vohara, also known as Sunthorn Phu, was born on June 26, 1786. His parents divorced when he was a child; his father became a monk and his mother worked as a wet nurse for the Thai Royal family.

Phu wrote one of his famous poems after visiting his father to describe his journey. He wrote the poem for his fiancé Jun, who was related to the Royal family. When he returned to Bangkok after the journey, King Rama II appointed Phu court poet.

Sunthorn Phu's best known work is Phra Ahai Mani, a 30,000-line epic poem that follows the title character in his romantic adventures. The poet began to write it in prison where he was jailed after a fight, and published the poem in installments over two decades.

King Rama II liked Phu's works so much that he awarded him with a courtesy title “Khun”, but the poet was stripped of his title by King Rama III for publicly correcting the king's poem.

Sunthorn Phu is considered to be the most famous Thai poet. His birth anniversary is an official observance known as Sunthorn Phu Day.